Piper Gore Designs Clothing to Make You Happy

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"A lot of people think looking good is kind of shallow—and I get that to a certain extent—but I think it goes deeper than that; everybody's just happier," says Piper Gore, punctuating her sentence with a laugh. She should know: The Los Angeles-based designer has been watching emotional reactions to clothing for many years now, first working on the corporate side of Lucky Brand and Levi's, then as the co-founder of men's line Oliver Rayn. But her latest project—her own line of women's ready-to-wear—may be the best example yet of how clothing can augment your mood.

Piper Gore, which officially launches for Fall 2012, features the sort of effortlessly chic pieces that you could live in. There are neo-harem pants in leather, boyfriend chinos made with stretch canvas, and knit tanks that, as Gore describes it, "are a little prettier than a regular top." They're meant to be not wardrobe indulgences that end up sitting in the back of a closet, unworn for months, but rather ones that you have to stop yourself from reaching for, lest you wear them three days in a row. "We're all really busy and most of us feel a lot better when we feel good," Gore explains. "I like to play with trends, but the idea is it's a mellow adaptation of the trends. If I like something, I always want to wear it; I don't care if someone says, 'That's not in anymore,'" she adds, laughing once more.

For Gore, who was born in Philadelphia and raised in Boston, the path to becoming a designer hasn't been an obvious one. Although she "always, always loved clothes," she's not formally trained and is constantly teaching herself new tricks. "It's a lot of trial and error," she admits. "It's probably not the most efficient way to go about doing it, but I'm one of those people who likes to do things and do things for myself. [At this point] I feel like I've gotten a handle on design, but I'm a naturally curious person anyway." That seems to be the case, judging by the resulting line—and she promises that this is just the beginning. "I'm always taking notes and scheming… I'm very open and always thinking about new opportunities. For the short term, it's always fun to think about finding new fabrics, bringing in a new element to your collection," Gore says.

While we wait for her inaugural complete collection to hit stores—she just had a soft launch for spring—there is one person who can already testify to the brand's wearability: Gore herself. "Right now I'm pretty stuck on the leather mini-harem pants," she admits. "They're so comfortable, I wear them on the airplane, I wear them around during the day, I wear them out at night and feel dressed up and cool!"